As soon as Margaret Rodeheaver emailed me asking if I would like a copy of her book to review, I couldn’t say yes fast enough.  I LOVE thrift stores, flea markets, antique stores, garage sales, etc. and reading a book in this setting was exactly that type of book I knew I would love!

Over the years I have found some absolute treasures in stores such as the fictitious one in this book.

This gorgeous piece:

Such an exquisite piece of art that someone sat and patiently, lovingly glued together.  It’s created entirely of antique jewelry!  I think about each individual piece and wonder about the stories behind them.  Who did they belong to?  Where were they worn?  I love this piece of art so, so much not only for it’s beauty but for the deep history that each facet of it contains.

I saw it on a table at a flea market and instantly fell in love.  For some unexplainable reason, I left the booth without buying it…and then couldn’t get it out of my mind after I walked away.  Hours later (in POURING rain), I made my poor mom walk alllllll the way back through that massive flea market with me until we found it once again and I could buy it.  I’m so glad that I did (even if we got completely soaked.  Love you, Mom).

And being that we’re Jewish, it wasn’t until we got home that my mom and I even noticed the non Jewish religious figure at the very center of my new piece of art 🙂  Makes me love it even more!

And then there’s this…

Years ago and merely a few weeks after I became pregnant with my son, I saw this $2.00 lampshade in a gorgeous antique store in Wisconsin and instantly KNEW I had to have it.

At the time, I didn’t even officially know that he was a boy…but in my heart I just KNEW that he was…and I couldn’t leave without this gorgeous vintage lampshade!

As it turned out, the lampshade’s shade of blue didn’t end up matching his nursery but to this day it remains high up on his closet shelf as a reminder of the very first thing he ever owned 🙂

Have you ever discovered a treasure in a thrift shop, antique store, garage sale, flea market, etc?  The BEST!

Book Giveaway:

Hidden Treasure By Margaret Rodeheaver

Full disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book to read and review for my blog.  All opinions are my own.

Giveaway details will be given at the bottom of this post!

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Welcome to the small town of Chinkapin, Georgia, where recently-divorced Laurie Lanton is starting her new life in a warmer climate. To keep her mind off her ex, Laurie joins Mary and the other volunteers at the Treasure Chest, a charity thrift shop run by ‘St. Mark’s Across from the Tasty Chick.’ Anything can happen at the Treasure Chest – and does. Two robberies, a leaky roof, and an invasion of mice give Laurie plenty to think about. But a couple of new men have also caught her attention.

Will she pick Chase, the interesting and talented musician from St. Mark’s choir? He sure is easy to be with, but there’s something in his past no one wants to talk about.

And what about Jeff, the new painting instructor at the local arts center? He seems to have a few secrets of his own, including something he’s discovered about an old painting at the thrift shop.

Laurie soon learns just how important the Treasure Chest is to her new hometown. When disaster threatens to close the shop, will her ‘his super power’ be enough to save it?

My Thoughts:

I want to visit The Treasure Chest!  Reading about the store was definitely my favorite part of the book.  I found the “behind the scenes” of running a thrift store so interesting!  I just so happen to be reading this book at the same time as I was running my annual garage sale and it made me view my “products” in a whole new way 🙂

This was a light, easy to enjoy novel set in what sounds to be a delightful small town.

I appreciated the church references throughout the book.  This Jewish girl learned a great deal 🙂  St. Marks sounds just lovely!

I enjoyed this book and appreciated how my perception of certain characters changed throughout the story as I was granted more insight into their personalities.  Characters who I initially liked I ended up hating and characters who I initially wasn’t a fan of morphed into lovely people.  Love when that happens!

A cute, easy read!

A Discussion With Margaret Rodeheaver, In Her Own Words:

How did you create the idea for your book?
I volunteer in a thrift shop similar to the Treasure Chest where, as it says on the back of the book,“anything can happen!” We have some interesting customers, and receive some surprising donations, including the emerald necklace I mention. A large, beautiful painting was donated to us, and one of our volunteers with connections in the art world was able to have it auctioned, which of course brought in more money than we ever could have sold it for. Meanwhile, I had vacationed with my husband in Homosassa, Florida (near the Gulf of Mexico, about 300 miles from my middle-Georgia home) and learned that Winslow Homer had fished and painted there in the early 1900’s. So it seemed plausible that someone from my fictional town of Chinkapin might have encountered Homer on a fishing trip to Florida and received a painting, which was
passed down through the family and ultimately ended up at the Treasure Chest.
As far as some of the characters in “Hidden Treasure,” I’ve known lots of musicians and several guitar players, so Chase was easy. And an artist in my family has led a lot of paint-along classes like Jeff does in the book. The scenes in St. Mark’s church were also easy, because faith plays an important part in my life, as it does for Laurie.
I’ll leave it to readers to figure out what small Georgia town Chinkapin is based on. Sadly, the original for the Coffee Pot café is closed!

What audience would be most interested in your book?
Fans of Debbie Macomber, Kristy Woodson Harvey, or Jan Karon would love “Hidden
Treasure” and the rest of the Chinkapin series (Book 2, “Finders Keepers,” has just been
published!) It would appeal to adult women who enjoy a feel-good story of friendship, faith, love, and second chances, who enjoy art and music, and like a little romantic sizzle to spice things up.

Where can your book be purchased?
Paperback and Kindle versions of “Hidden Treasure” can be purchased from Amazon. The eBook is also available from many online retailers, including Apple, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo. https://books2read.com/b/4EMpMY

Use three adjectives to describe your book.

Engaging. Entertaining. Uplifting.

Any additional information that you would like to provide about you and your book.
“Finders Keepers,” book 2 of the Chinkapin series, has just been published, and book three is coming in November, so stay tuned for more. And remember, writers love readers! You can help your favorite writers by sharing your thoughts with friends, via social media, or anywhere books are discussed or purchased.

***GIVEAWAY DETAILS***